Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nursing for April 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
TUESDAY, May 1, 2018 -- Early general medicine readmissions are more likely than late readmissions to be preventable with hospital-based interventions, according to a study published online May 1 in the Annals of Internal of Medicine.
MONDAY, April 30, 2018 -- Even relatively low-efficacy influenza vaccines can have a high impact, especially with optimal distribution across age groups, according to a study published online April 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
MONDAY, April 30, 2018 -- Based on findings from a systematic review of the literature, recommendations have been developed for improving the evidence for natural experiments in obesity; the review and position paper were published online May 1 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
MONDAY, April 30, 2018 -- Adopting a healthy lifestyle, with five low-risk lifestyle factors is associated with increased life expectancy, according to a study published online April 30 in Circulation.
MONDAY, April 30, 2018 -- A standardized, time-sensitive checklist can help guide the education process for parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer, according to an article published online March 28 in the Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing.
MONDAY, April 30, 2018 -- Menstrual dysfunction is common in girls with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes, and does not improve with two years of anti-hyperglycemic treatment, according to a study published online April 24 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2018 -- A new clinic satisfaction tool improves communication and provides real-time feedback, according to a study published online April 14 in Neurosurgery.
FRIDAY, April 27, 2018 -- There is a high risk of postoperative mortality among patients undergoing lower-limb amputation, according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.
FRIDAY, April 27, 2018 -- Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) are suitable for use by adolescents, according to a Committee Opinion published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2018 -- From 1990 to 2014 there was a decrease in race-based disparities in years of life lost (YLL) in the United States, according to a study published online April 25 in PLOS ONE.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2018 -- There does not appear to be a clinically meaningful association between baseline or prospective hemoglobin A1c (A1C) and wound healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), according to a study published online April 16 in Diabetes Care.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2018 -- Postpartum care should become an ongoing process rather than a single visit in order to optimize the health of women and infants, according to a Committee Opinion published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2018 -- Evidence relating to the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as helpful smoking cessation tools is presented and discussed in a head to head article published online April 25 in The BMJ.
THURSDAY, April 26, 2017 -- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and local agencies are holding the 15th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across the country this Saturday, April 28.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 -- U.S. hospitals will have to post their standard prices online and make it easier for patients to access their electronic medical records, Medicare officials said Tuesday.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 -- Alcohol intake may be linked to the risk of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to a review published online April 23 in BMJ Open.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 -- A substantial proportion of men report experiencing weight stigma, according to a study published online April 23 in Obesity.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 -- Children, caregivers, and physicians report different barriers to daily use of asthma medications, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Asthma.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 -- The prevalence and severity of high blood pressure (BP) in children have increased based on the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics clinical practice guidelines, according to a study published online April 23 in JAMA Pediatrics.
TUESDAY, April 24, 2018 -- Alcohol consumption, specifically heavy drinking, may influence the oral microbiome composition, according to a study published online April 24 in Microbiome.
TUESDAY, April 24, 2018 -- Evening preference and a later breakfast are associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) in adults with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online April 13 in Diabetic Medicine.
TUESDAY, April 24, 2018 -- Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy may alter the overall weight growth trajectory of the offspring from 6 weeks to 8 years, according to a study published online April 23 in BMJ Open.
MONDAY, April 23, 2018 -- Controlling high blood pressure in older African-Americans may prevent future dementia, according to a study published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
MONDAY, April 23, 2018 -- Patients who previously had a false-positive breast or prostate cancer screening test result are more likely to have future screenings, according to a study published online April 23 in Cancer.
FRIDAY, April 20, 2018 -- The concept of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and the pathways leading to it are unclear, according to a review published online April 6 in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.
FRIDAY, April 20, 2018 -- After systolic blood pressure (BP) reaches 120 to 125 mm Hg, it increases at a relatively rapid rate toward overt hypertension, according to a study published online March 21 in JAMA Cardiology.
THURSDAY, April 19, 2018 -- For adolescents and young adults, frequent or heavy cannabis use has a small association with reduced cognitive functioning, according to research published online April 18 in JAMA Psychiatry.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), triple therapy is associated with a reduced rate of exacerbations, according to a study published online April 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- Compared with clinic blood-pressure measurement, ambulatory blood-pressure measurement is more strongly associated with mortality, according to a study published in the April 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- Non-Hispanic Asian mothers have distinct characteristics, some of which vary by Asian subgroup and place of birth, according to a National Vital Statistics Report published online April 18 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- A range of interventions can successfully improve self-regulation in children and adolescents, according to research published online April 16 in JAMA Pediatrics.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- Randomization to use of a smartphone app is associated with a small improvement in medication adherence but no change in systolic blood pressure among individuals with poorly controlled hypertension, according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- Family and friends' autonomy support may lead to better glycemic control by reducing distress among patients with diabetes, according to a study published online March 29 in Diabetes Care.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2018 -- Disordered eating behavior among adolescents is associated with a significantly increased risk of future depressive symptoms and being bullied by peers, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Psychiatry.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- From 2000 to 2015 there was an increase in the use of institutional post-acute care, according to a study published in the April 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that exercise interventions may be beneficial for preventing falls in older adults; however, the evidence is insufficient to weigh the benefits and harms of vitamin D, calcium, and combined supplementation. These findings form the basis of two recommendation statements published April 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- Among patients with hypertension (HTN), repeated measurement of an initially elevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with a reduction in systolic BP, according to a research letter published online April 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- For individuals with chronic spinal pain, pain neuroscience education combined with cognition-targeted motor control training seems more effective than current best-evidence physical therapy, according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Neurology.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- Messages relating to safe storage and disposal of prescription opioids are inconsistent and are often not included on package insert information, according to a research letter published online April 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- The newly developed UTICalc calculator can be used to guide testing and treatment in children with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI), according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Pediatrics.
TUESDAY, April 17, 2018 -- A social worker-led palliative care intervention seems beneficial for patients with advanced heart failure at high risk for mortality, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Cardiology.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- Most physician offices do not offer up-front payment flexibility or low-income discounts to uninsured people, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- The estimated annual cost of drug-related morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy is more than half a trillion dollars in the United States, according to a study published online March 26 in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- Short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with increased health care utilization for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI), according to a study published online April 13 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, systolic dysfunction, and incident heart failure hospitalization in blacks, according to a study published online April 16 in Circulation.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- Youth with gender nonconformity are vulnerable to experiencing adversity, and transgender and/or gender nonconforming (TGNC) youth have higher prevalence of mental health conditions, according to two studies published online April 16 in Pediatrics.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- Eating-related factors appear to be most strongly associated with the severity of loss of control (LOC) among young people with overweight or obesity, according to a study published online March 10 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 -- The number of drinks consumed in high school students' binge drinking episodes predicts other health risk behaviors, according to a study published online April 10 in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- Negative affect that lingers is associated with worse physical health outcomes almost 10 years later, according to a study published online March 19 in Psychological Science.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- Artificial intelligence software that can detect diabetic retinopathy has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it has issued tough new restrictions on the sale of dietary supplements that contain dangerously high amounts of caffeine.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- Politically-focused intrusive thoughts and associated ritualistic behaviors (PITRBs) are associated with measures of psychopathology and disability, according to a study published online March 31 in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- For current alcohol drinkers, the threshold for the lowest risk of all-cause mortality is about 100 g/week, according to a review published in the April 14 issue of The Lancet.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- For adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with suboptimal control despite using multiple insulin injections, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) seems cost-effective, with improved glucose control, according to a study published online April 12 in Diabetes Care.
FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 -- A soda tax does influence daily consumption of regular soda, energy drinks, and bottled water, according to a study published online April 12 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- The burden of prior authorization (PA) has increased over the past five years, and 92 percent of physicians report associated delays in access to care, according to the results of a survey published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- Health care provider awareness of racial disparities in kidney transplant waitlisting is low, especially among nurse managers and white providers, according to a study published online April 12 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- Pharmacist use of telemedicine is a promising vehicle for improving patient management of diabetes, according to an article published in Drug Topics.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- Individuals with a later chronotype have increased mortality risk, according to a study published online April 12 in Chronobiology International.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- An increase in the market prices of cigarettes would provide more health and financial gains to the poorest 20 percent of the population, according to a study published online April 11 in The BMJ.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- From 1990 to 2016 there were decreases in cardiovascular disease (CVD) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in all states across the United States, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Cardiology.
THURSDAY, April 12, 2018 -- Higher pre-pregnancy fitness lowers the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to a study published online March 8 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- Among adults aged 40 years and older, cardiovascular risk decreased in men from 1990 to 2010 and increased followed by a decrease in women over the same time period, according to a study published online March 22 in Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- To help curb complications tied to the permanent contraceptive implant Essure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has placed new restrictions on the sale of the device.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- Four recommendations for action have been developed for improving mental health in the workplace; the guidance forms the basis for an article published online in the April issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), there is no reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk with achieved systolic blood pressure (SBP) of <120 mm Hg versus <130 or <140 mm Hg, according to a study published online March 28 in Diabetes Care.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- Neonatal caffeine therapy for apnea of prematurity has no detrimental long-term effects and even improves some neurologic measures, according to a study published online April 11 in Pediatrics.
WEDNESDAY, April 11, 2018 -- About half of pregnant women with HIV infection underwent cesarean delivery between 1998 and 2013, according to a study published online April 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 -- Changes can be implemented to help reduce physician frustration with electronic health records (EHRs), according to an article published in Medical Economics.
TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 -- There are considerable differences in the burden of disease at the state level, according to a study published in the April 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 -- As with the general population, metabolic syndrome (MetS) is common among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published online April 3 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 -- In adults age 50 or older, higher education, illicit drug use, depression, and pain interference with normal work are significantly associated with opioid misuse, according to a study published recently in Nursing Outlook.
TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 -- Fitness and physical activity are tied to lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease in the general population and among individuals with elevated genetic risk for cardiovascular diseases, according to a study published online April 9 in Circulation.
MONDAY, April 9, 2018 -- Low concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol are transferred from inhaled cannabis to breast milk of women who regularly consume cannabis, according to a study published online April 9 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
MONDAY, April 9, 2018 -- Prenatal exposure to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is associated with fetal brain development, according to a study published online April 9 in JAMA Pediatrics.
MONDAY, April 9, 2018 -- Polypharmacy is associated with poorer cognitive and physical capability even after adjustment for disease burden, according to a study published online March 24 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
MONDAY, April 9, 2018 -- People with diabetes and prediabetes visit the dentist less often than people without diabetes, according to a study published online March 31 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
FRIDAY, April 6, 2018 -- Nearly half of small employers using tobacco surcharges do not provide tobacco cessation wellness programs, according to a report published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
FRIDAY, April 6, 2018 -- Five psychological factors are associated with breastfeeding behaviors among women with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m², according to a review published online March 24 in Obesity Reviews.
FRIDAY, April 6, 2018 -- Increased adiposity in childhood may negatively impact liver function in children as young as 8 years old, according to a study published online April 4 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
FRIDAY, April 6, 2018 -- A statewide quality improvement initiative can reduce early elective deliveries, according to a study published in the April issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
THURSDAY, April 5, 2018 -- The Affordable Care Act's Marketplaces covered a disproportionate share of non-elderly adults with high health care risks in the 2014 to 2015 time period, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
THURSDAY, April 5, 2018 -- For women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), lactation is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although there is no benefit for long-term lactation, according to a review and meta-analysis published online March 25 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
THURSDAY, April 5, 2018 -- Cannabis use is associated with increased initiation of, persistence of, and relapse to cigarette smoking, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
THURSDAY, April 5, 2018 -- Smokers have lower quality diets than former smokers and nonsmokers, according to a study published online April 4 in BMC Public Health.
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 2018 -- Physicians do not meaningfully engage with skilled home health care (SHHC) agencies in the certification of Medicare beneficiaries' plans of care, according to a study published online April 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 2018 -- There is considerable variation in the quality of free-text patient directions (Sig) in electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions), according to a study published online April 2 in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 2018 -- Changes in depressive symptoms can predict improvement in self-efficacy and adherence to diabetes management, according to a study published online March 27 in Diabetes Care.
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 2018 -- A quality improvement initiative rapidly reduced unnecessary electrolyte testing among hospitalized pediatric patients, according to a study published online April 4 in Pediatrics.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- When presented with different care scenarios, nursing students are not correctly identifying all the fundamental care needs of patients, according to a study published online March 11 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- Loss of wealth over a two-year period is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality for U.S. adults aged 51 years and older, according to a study published in the April 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- In healthy women, preconception blood pressure is associated with miscarriage, according to a study published online April 2 in Hypertension.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- From 2015 to 2016, there were increases in deaths across all drug categories examined, with 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016, according to research published in the March 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- Overweight and obesity may be contributing to specific malignancies at younger ages, according to research published online March 23 in Obesity.
TUESDAY, April 3, 2018 -- The majority of pharmacy customers with rhinitis select suboptimal medications, according to a study published online March 29 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- Obstetrician-gynecologists and other obstetric providers can help to protect women working through their pregnancy, according to a Committee Opinion published in the April issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- In a case demonstration study published online March 7 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, authors describe using Agile Implementation (AI), a method to quickly, efficiently, effectively, and sustainably translate evidence-based health care solutions into practice, in an Aging Brain Care model, an evidence-based collaborative care model which targets older adults with dementia, depression, or delirium.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- The use of acid-suppressive medications and antibiotics during the first six months of infancy is tied to subsequent development of allergic disease, according to a study published online April 2 in JAMA Pediatrics.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- A Zika vaccine could substantially prevent future outbreaks through a combination of direct protection and indirect transmission reduction, according to a modeling study published online April 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- Ceasing regular exercise increases depressive symptoms (DS) in healthy adults, particularly women, according to a review published recently in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- Perceptions of the organ donation experience vary between relatives who decide to donate their relative's organs and those who do not, but the decision does not appear to be associated with subsequent grief symptoms, according to a study published online March 19 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
MONDAY, April 2, 2018 -- Preoperative chronic opioid use is associated with poor outcomes and continued dependence after posterior lumbar fusion, according to a study published online March 20 in Spine.